Ethiopia accused Eritrea of crossing into Ethiopian territory and conducting joint military maneuvers with rebel groups on February 8, 2026, between 2:45 PM and 5:15 PM UTC, labeling the actions as outright aggression. Addis Ababa warned that Eritrea has chosen the path of further escalation, according to a statement reported by Clash Report on X. Ethiopia specified Eritrean troop movements as incursions further into Ethiopian territory and provocations beyond mere border tensions. Eritrea rejected the accusations, claiming Ethiopia is floating false flags to justify war, as detailed in the Clash Report post within the 2-hour 30-minute reporting window. This development follows Ethiopia's earlier demand, reported earlier on February 8, that Eritrea withdraw troops from Ethiopian territory, where the foreign minister accused Eritrea of arming rebels in northern Ethiopia and conducting joint exercises, according to Osint613 on X in the prior reporting period.
